Fox News brainwash

My mother constantly posts things on Facebook that she directs at me or tries to include me in that have to do with how great she thinks Fox News is and how evil all other news is. I have tried voicing my opinion that I do NOT like Fox News because I find them to be biased and bigoted. However, she is in far too deep. She is one of those conspiracy theorist tea party loving people. Completely brainwashed.

I honestly cannot stand hearing about it anymore. She is not willing to listen to my side, so why should I listen to hers? She is trying to argue, not debate. She comes off as very condescending, telling me I am wrong about everything, and mocking me for being an atheist.

Most of the rest of my family doesn't have FB, thankfully, except my brother. He likes to get into arguments just as much. He also openly admits to breaking gun laws and how he thinks the government is coming for him. He thinks anyone who thinks differently is just uneducated and beneath him.

I really don't know what to do. Sure, they are family, but I am tired of the disrespect.

Replies to This Discussion

My condolences on a difficult family, kelly. You have a right to be treated with respect, not mocked. Were they my family, I would distance myself. But I've always been outspoken toward my family, and lived my own life. They could like it or lump it. I would write down what I needed to say, to express my anger without acting it our or using blaming language. Then I'd say what I'd carefully prepared and seldom bother with them thereafter. Let them know you think they are out of touch with reality, and that's not healthy. You express concern for them, give them the right to make their own mistakes since they're adults. But that doesn't give them the right to dump on you. Demand mutual respect if they want to engage.

Ruth, I admire your resolve. I find it also very difficult to get out of the rut of a contradictory family and society. I hope to find the will power to keep myself focused on a wholistic and caring life attitude.

Interesting that you mention will power to keep focused on a wholistic and caring attitude when faced by the rut of contradictory family and society.

I was free from the limitations of my family, not because I had resolve but because I felt empowered. Education and moving away from the small town to Phila freed and empowered me. Atheism empowers too. Once you question the small minded values and embrace larger ones, it's not as easy for others to "push your buttons". I no longer needed my family's respect, I could take them or leave them but I made it clear I would live my own life. If they didn't like my life choices, tough. They decided to take me as is. It might seem as if severing the umbilical would be the opposite of caring, but "love yourself first" makes it possible to authentically love others. In my experience it's easier to care about people who don't subtly control you.

You might ask your mother if she is interested in knowing when bias is creeping into news items (from any source, not just Fox). If she is not, then there is no discussion you can have with her on the news, and you should tell her so; you do not wish to have your news "interpreted" for you.

If she is interested in knowing when her news is biased (particularly from Fox), then a long sample of biased news articles (with explanations of how they are biased, including selective quoting, special pleading, special editing) can be found on Liberal Viewer's Fox News Bias YouTube channel.

(there are hundreds of examples from Fox, but also examples from other sources too).

Even if you are unable to get her to watch some of these examples, watching them yourself can arm you on how the news from Fox is slanted and how they do it to challenge her position.

The most important bias that Fox News has is one they openly admit: they report the "other side of the news."

This presumes that a) news issues only have two sides, and b) they are biased toward one of them.

And if this is occurring on your Facebook page, you can post links to the articles to yours (or your brother's or mother's), or you can ask your brother to respect your opinions on your Facebook page. Disagreement is one thing, disrespect is another. If he will not respect you or your Facebook page, then de-friending him on Facebook (with a clear explanation that he does not respect you) may be your only out.

You might point out that one hundred years after the state governments started registering drivers and autos, we still have drivers and autos; no one came for them. Also, the II Amendment (and it's requirement for a well-ordered militia necessary for the security of a free state) does not trump the other amendments. The I Amendment protections of free speech and free press include criticising the supporters of ownership of grenades and anti-aircraft guns.

And speaking of the ownership of grenades and anti-aircraft guns, does restrictions against ownership of those kinds of arms infringe on his freedoms?

No one took autos away and prevented drivers from owning autos just because government started registering autos and drivers one hundred years ago. The argument from the NRA is the government registering guns and gun owners is that is the first step to taking away everyone's guns.

I've searched my conscience, and I can't for the life of me find any justification for this, and I simply cannot accept that there are on every story two equal and logical sides to an argument.-- Edward R. Murrow

The problem with Faux Noise is that they have historically and repeatedly taken Mr. Murrow's statement and turned it on its head, choosing to run with their own twisted view of the given facts of a story to satisfy their point of view and that of their sycophantic audience. In the case of this election just past, that practice not only bit them on the ass, but a great deal of the Republican party and those funding the election of Mitt Romney. They became so enamored of the sound of their own political echo chamber that they forgot that they were listening to their own agitprop, and when they were confronted with the truth - that Florida and Ohio had gone to Obama - they couldn't swallow it.

One might think that they would learn from this experience and correct their behavior. More likely, like good ideologues, they will cling to their illusion and attempt to explain away the event of the election and their reaction to it as an aberration, a one-time occurrence not likely to be repeated. Like religionists, they have become enthralled with their dogma and cannot be estranged from it.

Kelly, i can relate. my mother recently married a very conservative man and now she's become a full on right winger. she voted for Obama in '08 but hates him now, and thinks he's a Kenyan Muslim. just the other day she forwarded me a Sandy Hook Truther email. if i send her a news story (not opinion, news) from the Washington Post she won't read it b/c "why bother coming from that liberal rag".

i haven't given up on her, although i really should. once it sets in there's no turning back. much like their religion, they have too much invested in their version of reality. and they are every bit as cocooned as our religious friends. if it's not on Drudge or Fox News it's not worth paying attention to. she's always angry - and of course she is, she's scared half to death from the apocalyptic rhetoric she sees and hears everyday.

This makes me all the more glad I'm not on facebook. If there is a blocking mechanism, maybe you should block your mom. If she asks why, tell her you'll unblock her when she respects you as an adult with a mind of your own. Same for your brother.

so dumb; the young adults like books video games and religion are child's play now.. wake up fundy america n' world~Stay strong! Get a good diet, outlet/hobby, network, exercise; religion died w/yesterday!